Harang Shuts Down Bucs

Everywhere you look Aaron Harang continues to get referenced as a sleeper pitcher that doesnt get the respect he deserves. Baseball writers continue to emphasize that because he isnt in a sexy market, most fans don't know who, or how good, he really is. However, i think its fair to say that hitters in the National League know who Aaron Harang is, and more importantly, they know how good he has been.

Harang, who led the NL in K's and W's last year and is 14-3 this year threw a complete game shutout against the Pirates last night, allowing 2 hits, and striking out eight. Griffey Jr. and Brandon Phillips homered in the 8-0 win, handing the Pirates just their second loss in the their last eight games.

Bay and Kata had the Pirate hits. Ian Snell was roughed up to the tune of 7 runs in 5 and a third.

For at least the second time this year, Ian Snell was involved in some sort of a dispute with a teammate or member of the coaching staff. This one was a short argument with Chacon in the clubhouse before the game, and neither player would specify after the game.

Notes:

- Snell is the 377th pitcher against which Griffey has homered

-Thanks to Jason Bay's double, Pittsburgh kept alive a club-record streak of 88 consecutive games with at least one extra-base hit

-Jack Wilson should be available today

-King Salomon had a shot in his arm, literally, yesterday. He might pitch again in 07

-Sean Burnett also got an injection yesterday. He still might need surgery that could cost him 2008

-Duke Welker will not be shut down for 07 after all and should make one more start for State College before instructional league

-Zach Duke will start Saturday for AAA Indy

Doubleheader sweep!

The Bucs keep winning, and keep hitting. Freddy Sanchez uses a grand slam in the first game to help secure a win, while Adam LaRoche knocks home the game-winner in the nightcap to complete a doubleheader sweep of the Reds.

I've badmouthed him plenty of times before, but I'm willing to learn from mistakes. Is it possible that I simply didn't give Paul Maholm enough time to adjust to the majors? Now don't get me wrong, I know Maholm is no ace. He's not going to be our No. 1 or No. 2 starter. At best he could fill in at the third spot, but I'm really not starting to mind the thought of him at the back end of a rotation. He's been in some tough situations thus far in his young career and it's quite possible that things will only look up for him. He is still very young.

The only bad thing about the day is (and I can't believe I'm going to type this) that the Cubs beat the Brewers, so we weren't able to gain an extra game in the standings. Since the Bucs are only 8.5 games out of a division lead somehow, it got me thinking. I wonder if any team has battled for the next year's No. 1 draft pick and a division championship in the same season?

Think about it...

One bad week and the Bucs could be very close to the worst record in the majors.

However, one good week and they are 3-4 games out of first place.

No matter what, this recent surge certainly has made the final month or so of baseball in Pittsburgh interesting. I know I'm excited.

In the Minors

Indy: Game One, 7-0 Win vs. Columbus
Bixler, Ryan and Morgan each had a hit.
Eldred was 3-for-3 with a two-run homerun
JVB went seven strong, allowing four hits, one walk and struck out five.

Game Two, 3-0 loss vs. Columbus
Morgan, Cutch and Pearce had a hit
Morgan tripled
Davidson worked an inning, allowing an unearned run, walking two.
Sharpless gave up a run in two innings.

Altoona: 3-0 Win vs. Reading
Bowers had three hits, Boeve had two, including a two-run bomb
Munoz threw seven shutout innings, allowing five hits, striking out two
Munoz is now 11-5 with a 3.82 ERA
Petersen saved his 26th game with a scoreless ninth

Elsewhere:
Pachecho hit his 25th homerun for Hickory

Maybe, Just Maybe

Dave Littlefield is smarter than both you and I.

Maybe.

For it was the majority of opinion of Pirates Nation that turning down a deal for Jack Wilson that included Jair Jurrjens was a mistake, especially considering Jurrjens status as a top prospect in the Tigers system, and especially including the Pirates diluted minor league system, ESPECIALLY pitchers and even more, a deal that was rumored to include another prospect in addition to Jurrjens.

Throw in Jurrjens major league debut, and his subsequent start after that, and well, it was yet another bonehead move by Davey L.

But then, Jurrjens left his latest start with an arm injury, and was immediately placed on the DL, with those close to the situation saying the details were bad, possibly very bad.

Did Dave and his scouts do their homework? Was Jurrjens an injury waiting to happen, so the Pirates needed to get more for him so when Jurrjens broke down, there were more prospects to point to?

Possibly, consider this from the MLB.com story of Jurrjens injury:

Jurrjens has had shoulder problems before, most recently a strain that forced him onto the DL at Double-A Erie near the end of last season. That pain, he explained, was lower in his shoulder, around the lat area. This recent pain, by comparison, is around the back of the shoulder.

It turns out Jurrjens injury might not be that severe, but that's moot. The question is, did Dave get it right?

Playing the Matchups

Jim Tracy loves to play matchups.

Sunday, he played one that lost the Pirates the ball game. In the bottom of the eighth Marte got Lee to groundout, but gave up a double to lefty Luke Scott. Tracy hooked Marte for Chacon, to bring the righty-righty for Wigginton. Right handers were hitting .226 against Chacon, but Wiggy was 3-for-9 in his career off Shawn with 3 RBI's.


It didnt take long before Wiggy went deep to left and the Astros had the lead back.

Brad Lidge walked a guy in the ninth but struck out two straight. Game.


McLouth had two hits, LaRoche two hits and two RBI and Freddy went deep for number 10.


Armas went five and a third giving up three earned. Marte and Chacon each allowed an earned run in two-thirds of an inning.

-Josh Phelps continues to get fielding practice at every position on the field besides the bump
-Danny Moskos is NOT hurt
Cutch had a hit in four at bats in Indy, while Walker didnt hit in his pinch hit appearance.

Bullington allowed 11 hits and didnt make it out of the sixth.

The Streak Continues, Bucs Win

Jose Bautista homered twice and Matt Morris put up a quality start as the Pirates won for the seventh time in their last eight, and continued their hard to figure out dominance of the Astros.

Rookie Troy Patton, making his ml debut, wasn't bad, but he wasn't great, specifically with his changeup and Bautista welcomed him to the bigs with two bombs to that short porch in left, one of a change over the middle of the dish in the fourth. Oh and Josh Phelps hit another home run off the bench. It's starting to become hard to ignore the numbers he has put up in his short time with the Bucs.

Morris, in his short time with the Bucs, has been quite the roller coaster. After a first few starts that were anything but special, he has ripped off two straight quality starts. Against the Astros he allowed one run on four hits over six innings, including inducing Lance Berkman into a huge double play with the bases loaded.

-Paulino had three hits, Bautista had three RBI
-Wilson left the game with a shin injury that looked worse than I think it was. Ty Wigginton caught Jack with a spike during a breakup slide on a DP, however, I think Jack just got cut up a little and should have a good bruise but no real damage
-Torres hit the DL retro to Aug 22nd
-Maholm will bump up a day and throw game 2 on Tuesday vs. the Reds

In Indy, N. Morgan had two hits, Cutch was 0 for 3, Pearce had a hit, Walker was 0 for 4 and Sharpless gave up a run in one inning.

Wandy Rodriguez vs. Tony Armas on Sunday

I have a fantasy football draft at noon. If I get first pick I am taking Danny Moskos, since he isn't busy with game action anymore or anything.

Lineup Posted

The lineup's posted for Tonight's game vs. Houston

CF McLouth
SS Wilson
2B Sanchez
1B LaRoche
RF Bautista
C Paulino
3B Castillo
LF Kata
SP Morris

Jason Bay gets the night off

Romulo Sanchez Gets Call

The Pirates have placed King Salomon on the DL and have called up Romulo Sanchez, a reliever from AA Altoona.

Sanchez, a 23-year-old right-hander, had a 2.81 ERA in 40 appearances out of a setup role with the Curve, with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks.

Torres will be back in Pittsburgh Monday for a doctor's visit.

We're back!

...yeah, yeah -- we know. So Matt and I have been out of the game for quite some time now and we're itching to get back. The work world has gotten to us both, but we've still managed to follow the Bucs this whole time. We're still fans -- don't think we've jump shipped yet.

Anyways, we're coming back with a little help and we're going to try and have some more writers with us. If you're interested in being a writer of this blog, E-mail us at buccowire@gmail.com.

In the meantime...let me get to some thoughts.

- It took an injury to Chris Duffy and a trade of Rajai Davis to get Nate McLouth regular time in the outfield? That is crazy. McLouth was always the better prospect out of the three and should have been given the chance before. I'm glad to see he's taking this opportunity and running with it.

- Matt Morris? Awesome, haha. I don't even need to say anything here. Remember when he won 20 games in a season? That seems like forever ago.

- So I would have taken the Jack Wilson trade straight up for Jair Jurrjens if that was offered... but DL wouldn't. Heck he wouldn't even do it with a couple of other players added to it. His inability to trade is simply remarkable.

- Steven Pearce has put together quite an impressive season. And I'm glad to see the rest of the prospects moved up to AAA.

- Daniel Moskos? Wow. He can't even dominate the rookie or short-season leagues. This oughtta be good.

...that's all I got for now. Check later for more updates and continue to come back regularly. Hopefully we can successfully pick this back up. And again, if you have any interest in writing, E-mail us at buccowire@gmail.com